Morning Transactions: Panthers, Islanders, Capitals
Assorted transactions from around the league this morning…
- The Panthers have recalled forward Denis Malgin from the AHL, tweets Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel. The 2015 fourth-round pick made his NHL debut earlier this season. The 20-year-old ultimately played in 39 games for the Panthers, collecting four goals and four assists. In 15 games with Springfield, Malgin compiled three goals and nine assists.
- Islanders winger Bracken Kearns has been returned on loan to the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the team announced (via Twitter). The veteran was called up to the NHL last week, and he didn’t collect a single point in two games. In 51 games with Bridgeport this season, the 35-year-old has 18 goals and 22 assists. Kearns joined the organization last season following several years with San Jose and Florida.
- The Capitals have re-assigned forward Riley Barber and defenseman Aaron Ness to the Hershey Bears of the AHL, the team announced. Barber made his NHL debut the other night, and he finished with zero points in two games. In 18 games with the Bears, the 23-year-old collected seven goals and four assists. Meanwhile, Ness has played 10 career games for the Capitals, registering a pair of assists. The 2008 second-round pick has five career points in 39 games with the Islanders and Capitals.
Panthers Assign Denis Malgin To AHL, Recall Reto Berra
The Florida Panthers made a pair of roster moves on Thursday, announcing that they have assigned center Denis Malgin to their AHL affiliate in Springfield. Taking his place on the roster is goaltender Reto Berra.
Berra will be covering for backup goaltender James Reimer, who left the team to be with his wife as he gives birth, notes George Richards of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). The Panthers acquired Berra back in June in exchange for prospect forward Rocco Grimaldi to give them an NHL-caliber insurance policy. In 20 minor league games this year, he has a 9-8-2 record with a 2.24 GAA and a .918 SV%.
Malgin was one of the surprises of the preseason, making the team as a 19 year old after a fairly quiet season in the Swiss League the year before. He got off to a strong start, collecting four goals and four assists in his first 17 games.
Things haven’t gone as swimmingly lately for the 2015 fourth round pick though. He has been held off the scoresheet in his last 22 games while seeing his ice time drop considerably as well. Despite his struggles, the Panthers declined to loan him to the Swiss entry at the recently-completed World Juniors.
Interim head coach and general manager Tom Rowe noted to Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel (Twitter link) recently that he was concerned that Malgin had hit the rookie wall. Accordingly, while Berra’s stint with the big club may be short, there’s a good chance that Malgin won’t be the one coming back up in a few days when Reimer returns to the lineup.
Snapshots: Ovechkin, Malgin, Flyers
News and notes from around the NHL this evening:
- Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin chases two important milestones tonight: 29th most career NHL goals and 1000 career NHL points. Ovechkin entered the game tonight against the Montreal Canadiens with 543 goals and 996 points. One more goal ties him with Canadiens’ legend Maurice Richard for 29th most goals. As of writing, Ovechkin has one assist so far in his game tonight, leaving him 3 points short of 1000.
- Florida Panthers forward Denis Malgin left tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils with an upper-body injury. Malgin sustained the injury when Devils forward Pavel Zacha hit him into the boards midway through the first period. Zacha received a 5-minute boarding major on the play. The NHL Department of Player Safety may review this play for further discipline. N.J. Record writer Andrew Gross reports that Malgin will not return to the game.
- Philadelphia Flyers prospect German Rubstov terminated his contract with the KHL’s Vityaz Podolsk to join the Chicoutimi Saugueneens of the QMJHL, reports RDS (source in French). As Tony Androckitis of Highland Park Hockey points out, Rubstov is eligible to play in AHL despite being under 20 because Rubstov played professionally in Europe before being drafted. It is the same exception to the CHL transfer rules that current Buffalo Sabres prospect Alexander Nylander uses to play for the AHL’s Rochester Americans at 18 years old. Rubstov played for Russia in the World Junior Championships this year but went pointless in five games.